St Nicholas' Church, Nottingham
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St. Nicholas Church, known locally as St Nic's, is an
Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...
parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...
in Nottingham. The church, since 1953, is
Grade II* listed In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
by the
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as it is a particularly significant building of more than local interest.


History

St Nicholas Church is one of the three medieval Christian foundations still existing in
Nottingham Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east ...
, the others being St Peter's Church and St Mary's Church. A church of St Nicholas was erected on the site of the present building in the eleventh or twelfth century. This building was destroyed in 1643 `The History of St Nicholas` by Thomas A Robinson B.A. (c1960) during the
English Civil War The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of re ...
. The
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established themselves in the tower of the old church, and bombarded the garrison of the Castle. In 1643 the governor of the castle, Colonel Hutchinson ordered the old church to be completely destroyed and for 28 years - from 1643 to 1671 - there was no Church of St. Nicholas in Nottingham. In 1671 a new church was being constructed with completion in 1678, the church which exists today. The Marriage, Burial and Baptism Registers begin in 1562. Other documents deeds, indentures, ecclesiastical licences,
terriers Terrier (from Latin ''terra'', 'earth') is a type of dog originally bred to hunt vermin. A terrier is a dog of any one of many breeds or landraces of the terrier type, which are typically small, wiry, game, and fearless. Terrier breeds vary gr ...
(or inventories of church property) - date from 1671. The Vestry Books contain accounts of elections and church meetings from 1703 onwards. No burials have taken place in the churchyard since 1881.


Present day

St Nicholas Church, also known as St Nic's, is a parish located in the city centre and draws its congregation from across the city. It is popular with university students. It has been described as Charismatic
Evangelical Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide Interdenominationalism, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being "bor ...
.


List of rectors

*1259. William Bishop, died. *1267. Richard de Weremsworth. *1288. Johannes de Ludham. *1317. Herbertus Pouger. *1318. Willelmus de Ilkeston. *1321. Galfridus de Wilford, resigned for the church of Blackwell Lichfield diocese. *1329. Gilbertus de Ottrington. *1343. Thomas de Ottrington. *? Thomas Tuthill (or Futhill). *1351. Richardus Kaym de Gotham, died. *1366. Johannes Templer, died. *1366. Johannes Deinby, died. *1367. Thomas Lorday de Stanley, resigned for the church of Norton, Lincoln diocese. *1371. Willelmus de Bilham. *? Roger Bampton (or Mempton), died, buried in chancel. *1427. Willelmus Cokker, resigned. *1432. Willelmus Westhorpe. *1435. Johannes Sampson. *1436. Johannes Hopwell, died. *1464. Nicholas Fish, L.D., resigned. *1466. Richardus Elkesley, Doc.B., died. *1471. Robertus Echard, died. *1476. Thomas Tewe, resigned. *1477. Edmundus Holme. *1497. Johannes Dale, resigned. *1502. Thomas Reyner, resigned. *1503. Reynaldus Marshall, resigned. *1531. Alexander Penhill, Doc.B., died. *1533. Thomas Ward. *1585. Randulphus Shute, B.A., resigned for
St Peter's Church, Nottingham St Peter's Church, formally The Church of St Peter with St James, is an Anglican parish church in the city centre of Nottingham, England. It is part of the parish of All Saints', St Mary's and St Peter's, Nottingham. The church is Grade I lis ...
. *1588. Johannes Lambe. *1611. Robertus Malham, M.A., died. *1622. Robertus Aynsworth, *1633. Johannes Aysthorpe. *1665—1669 vacant. *1669. Samuel Leek. *1672—1681 vacant. *1682. John Simpson. *1715. John Abson, M.A. *1749. George Wakefield, M.A. *1766. George Beaumont, resigned, buried in the chancel, 1773. *1773. Charles Wylde, M.A., D.D. *1835. William Joseph Butler, M.A. *1867. Henry Wright, M.A. *1872. George Ruthwen Thornton, resigned for the church of St. Barnabas', Kensington. *1876. William Pope, M.A., resigned for the church of
Heanton Punchardon Heanton Punchardon ( ) is a village, civil parish and former manor, anciently part of Braunton Hundred. It is situated directly east-southeast of the village of Braunton, in North Devon. The parish lies on the north bank of the estuary of the R ...
, Exeter diocese. *1905. John Bernard Barton, M.A., resigned for the church of Ronsdon, Exeter diocese. *1910. Philip Henry Douglas Ogle, M.A., resigned for the church of St. John, Stamford, Lincoln diocese. *1916. William Henry Milner, L.Th. died. *1920. John James West, M.A., died. *1929. Sidney Metcalfe,M.A.(Camb.), B.D. (Dunelm). *1947. Peter Montgomery Duplock, M.A. *1952. Thomas Anscombe, M.A. *1957. Sidney John Hill, M.B.E. *1964. Peter Bertram Coombs, M.A. *1968. Gilbert Bernard Gauntlett, M.A. *1973. David John Huggett, B.Sc. Ph.D. *1993. David John Betts, B.Sc. *1999. Trevor Hatton, B.A. *2008. Steve Silvester, M.A.


Organ

The first organ was installed in 1811 and listed in the church inventory among other items, "one organ with rods and curtains, two bassoons and a serpent." In 2010 the former organ by C. Lloyd and Co. was replaced by an electronic organ from Rodgers.


Organists

* Miss Stretton 1811 - ? * Miss Dodd c. 1818 * Miss Woolley c. 1825 * William Richardson c. 1837 - 1867 (died 23 April 1867; buried 25 April 1867 at St Nicholas; lived on Angel Row ) * Henry Bond 1867 - 1871 - ? (blind; formerly organist of
St. James' Church, Standard Hill St. James' Church, Standard Hill was a Church of England church in Nottingham. History In 1807 an Act of Parliament sanctioned the erection of a new church. It was opposed by the three clergy of the existing parishes of Nottingham, but the lan ...
) * Miss E.M. Spurr c.1878 - 1889 - ? * Walter Seymour 1891 - 1908 *Sydney J. Burdett 1919 - 1928 (afterwards organist of Old Radford Church) * Raymond H. Smith c.1940''Nottingham Evening Post'' - Tuesday 29 October 1940 *Mr. H Kelly ca. 1947 *James Ronald Hatchett (formerly organist of
St Wilfrid's Church, Wilford St Wilfrid's Church, Wilford is a Grade II* listed parish church in the Church of England in Wilford, Nottinghamshire, England. History The church dates from the late 14th century. It is considered to have been founded by Gervase de Wilford aro ...
) * Arthur Smedley 1965 - 1977 * John Churchill 1986 - 2017 * Megan Atwell 2019 -


Clock

An early clock was installed in 1699 by Richard Roe. This was replaced in 1830 by a clock by
James Woolley Woolley in the 90's. James Joseph Woolley (September 26, 1966 – August 14, 2016) was an American keyboard and synthesizer player, best known for performing with industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails during the 1991 Lollapalooza Tour and th ...
which had previously been in the
Nottingham Exchange Nottingham Exchange was built in the Market Place in Nottingham between 1724 and 1726 as the main offices of the Nottingham Corporation. History The Nottingham Exchange was erected between 1724 and 1726 replacing a shambles of buildings on the ...
. The diagonal clock face is thought to have been installed at the same time, and also been from the Exchange. This 1830 clock mechanism was replaced by an electric action clock in the 1970s but the clock face was retained. The James Woolley clock was given to the
Nottingham Industrial Museum The Nottingham Industrial Museum is a volunteer-run museum situated in part of the 17th-century stables block of Wollaton Hall, located in a suburb of the city of Nottingham. The museum won the ''Nottinghamshire Heritage Site of the Year Award 2 ...
.


References


Sources

*Alfred Stapleton, 1905, ''Churches and Monasteries of Old and New Nottingham'' *Keith Train, 1981, ''Train on Churches; Nottingham'' *J Holland Walker M.B.E., F.S.A., F.R.Hist.S, c1930, ''St. Nicholas' Church Nottingham''


External links


J Holland Walker, St. Nicholas' church, Nottingham, Transactions of the Thoroton Society, XLIV (1940) History of the church buildingSt. Nic's Church on Google Street View
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Nicholas Church, Nottingham Nottingham St Nicholas Nottingham St Nicholas Church Nottingham St Nicholas Church Churches completed in 1678 1678 establishments in England